Hidden Mountains

The city of Santiago, Chile sits at the base of the Andes Mountains. These mountains loom over the city and appear almost as a kind of guardian or protector. Normally the house where I stay when I come here has a great view of the Andes. In the past I have been able to sit and look up at these magnificent examples of God’s power in creation. But this time it’s a little different. One of the first things I noticed when I arrived here was that a new apartment building has been built exactly where I used to be able to see the Andes. Now, instead of majestic, snow peaked mountains, you look up at a 15 story high rise. It’s an attractive building, but come on, no matter how creative man is he really can’t compete with the Andes Mountains.

Psalm 121 says, “I lift my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.” Mountains don’t offer us safety and security but they remind us of what does. Our help and hope and strength don’t come from the hills or the ocean or anything in nature. It doesn’t come from the relationships that, in desperation, we sometimes think will save us. It doesn’t come from our jobs or being in touch with our inner whatever. Our help comes from the Lord who made all of these things and can use them to create His masterpiece within us.

The problem is that sometimes we can’t see this. Sometimes the things we so desperately long for (like hope and wisdom and encouragement) seem to be hidden from our view. Obstacles come. We get sick. Someone breaks our heart. A loved one dies. The economy falls apart. But, the thing that I can keep coming back to is that I have seen the mountains before. I’ve seen and experienced God’s grace and mercy many times and just because they may be hidden right now doesn’t mean that they aren’t there. When I got to the house here and looked up and couldn’t see the mountains I didn’t think, “Wow, someone moved the mountains.” I realized that the mountains were still there, but I just couldn’t see them right now.

I also know they are there because when I drive around the city, or even when I walk just a few blocks to the north or south of where I am, I can still see them. They’re still there. Which tells me that sometimes we just need a change of perspective to be reminded once again of the help that God offers to us. Sometimes moving, even just a little bit, from where we are is enough to show us once again the eternal, unchanging, magnificent strength of God.